Chapter 9 - The Media Moves

Mark Henry, an education reporter for the Boston Globe, had been sitting in front of his laptop since dawn.

Three articles from the MIT student newspaper were open on his screen.

[8-Year-Old Korean Visiting Research Participant Draws Attention from Mathematics Faculty]

[8-Year-Old Boy Debates Faculty at Graduate Seminar]

[Rumors Spread Regarding Participation in Hodge Conjecture Research]

Mark couldn't take his eyes off the third headline.

The first two articles could have looked like common stories about gifted children.

Every year, monster-like students entered MIT, and occasionally, there were kids who took university lectures at a young age.

But the moment the words "Hodge Conjecture" were attached, the story changed completely.

That wasn't some small heartwarming story to be printed in the local education section.

If it were true, it was a story that could shake the entire American mathematics community.

Mark took a sip of coffee and immediately made a call.

"Is this the MIT PR team?"

"Yes. This is the MIT PR team."

"This is Mark Henry from the Boston Globe."

"I'd like to confirm something regarding a visiting research participant named Yoon Siwoo."

A moment of silence passed.

"The information we can confirm at this time is limited."

"Then are you not denying his existence?"

"An official response is being prepared."

"Is the term 'visiting research participant' correct?"

"That part is also difficult to confirm until the official announcement."

"What about the rumors regarding his participation in the Hodge Conjecture research?"

"I cannot confirm that."

Mark smiled quietly.

The fact that they didn't deny it was enough.

The MIT campus looked the same as usual, but the atmosphere inside was completely different.

Students were gathered in front of the mathematics building, and those who had seen the seminar in person had already become minor celebrities on campus.

"Did you really see it?"

"I told you I did."

"Did the professors really ask questions?"

"I told you they did."

"And the kid answered?"

"I told you he answered. Stop asking."

"Does that make sense?"

"That's what I want to say, too."

Mark approached two graduate students sitting on a bench in front of the mathematics building.

"Do you have a moment to talk?"

"Are you a reporter?"

"I'm from the Boston Globe."

The expressions on the two people's faces changed.

One immediately tried to grab their bag, while the other looked around.

"I just want to confirm if you saw the seminar yesterday."

After a short silence, the graduate student wearing glasses said.

"We saw it."

"How was it?"

"It was strange."

"Strange?"

"Yes. At first, I thought he was just a gifted child."

"But from the middle, everyone went quiet."

"Why?"

"To try and understand what the kid was saying."

Mark took out a small notebook instead of his laptop.

"Even the professors?"

"Even the professors."

"What was the atmosphere like?"

The graduate student with glasses said in a low voice.

"The professors weren't just humoring the kid."

"The questions were real. And the kid answered those questions."

Mark's pen stopped.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"That's the core of it."

"Yes."

He hesitated for a long time before adding.

"Honestly, I was a bit scared."

"Scared?"

"It didn't feel like looking at a genius; it felt like looking at someone who was already speaking a language we didn't know."

Mark marked that sentence with an asterisk.

The MIT PR team received calls all morning, and the staff repeated the same words.

"An official statement is being prepared."

"There is no information we can confirm."

"Matters regarding the visiting research program are under internal review."

But the calls didn't decrease.

As the link to the student newspaper article spread, local media moved first, followed by education-specialized media, and science reporters also started to catch the scent.

One PR team staff member said while looking at the monitor.

"The Boston Globe keeps calling."

The team leader wiped their face with their hand.

"Who leaked the article?"

"The student newspaper wrote it first."

"I'm telling you, the student newspaper is the scariest when it wants to be."

"What should we do?"

"Report it to the President's office."

The meeting in the President's office was held faster than expected.

The President was looking down at the Boston Globe's interview request, and Jonathan and Andrew were also in attendance.

The PR team leader said cautiously.

"It's difficult to deny."

"The name and the program description have already gone out in the student newspaper."

"Exactly how much has gone out?"

"Yoon Siwoo, 8 years old, Korean, visiting research participant, conducted a seminar with the faculty, and even rumors of participation in Hodge Conjecture research."

The President closed his eyes at the last word.

"The most important thing has gone out."

Jonathan said.

"The Hodge Conjecture itself is not yet at the disclosure stage."

The PR team leader answered immediately.

"But if we deny it, it will become a bigger problem later."

Andrew nodded.

"We cannot deny it completely."

The President thought for a moment.

"Then let's keep the official statement short."

"Don't exaggerate the child, don't disclose the research content, and prioritize the family's protection."

The PR team leader wrote it down.

"Yoon Siwoo is currently participating in MIT's limited visiting research program, specific research details cannot be disclosed, and the stability of the family and the individual is the priority."

The President nodded.

"That will suffice."

Jonathan added quietly.

"And please make it clear to the reporters."

"This child is not a show."

The meeting room went quiet.

Unlike the atmosphere at MIT, Siwoo was watching a baseball broadcast with Taesik, and Hyejin was organizing bags next to them.

The pitcher on TV threw the ball, and Siwoo tilted his head while eating bread.

"That pitcher's arm angle is strange, too."

Taesik laughed.

"Here we go again."

"It's really strange."

"Just watch baseball as baseball."

"But I can see the structure."

"Don't even look at the structure of throwing the ball."

Hyejin's expression stiffened while looking at her phone.

"Honey."

"Why?"

"An article came out."

Taesik put down the remote.

"Already?"

Hyejin read the screen.

[8-Year-Old Korean Genius Draws Attention from MIT]

The room went quiet, and Siwoo took another bite of bread.

"Is it about me?"

"Yes."

"Is there a picture?"

"I don't think there is one yet."

"That's a relief."

Taesik looked at him as if he were dumbfounded.

"Is that what matters first?"

"I don't want it to come out looking weird."

"Aren't you curious about the content of the article?"

"I don't really care."

The Boston Globe article spread faster than expected.

At first, it was a local article.

But once the name MIT was attached, the age ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of 8 was attached, the nationality of Korean was attached, and finally, the rumor about the Hodge Conjecture followed, the story grew in an instant.

The MIT student community was also on fire again.

Mark Henry of the Boston Globe was called in by his editor-in-chief an hour after the article went up.

The editor-in-chief said while looking at the monitor.

"Did you see the view count?"

"I did."

"This isn't the view count for a local education article."

"I know."

"Can you do a follow-up?"

"Yes."

Mark opened his notebook.

Student testimonies, remarks from mathematics department officials, limited confirmation from the MIT PR team, and Jonathan Reed's name. He answered briefly.

"Prepare a follow-up."

At that time, a reporter for a national newspaper in New York was also looking at the same article, and at first, he chuckled after reading it.

"8-year-old genius," it was such a common headline.

But when he saw MIT, visiting research program, and Hodge Conjecture, these three words at the same time, his expression changed.

He immediately opened the search bar.

-Yoon Siwoo

The search results weren't many, and that was actually why it was strange.

If he were an ordinary gifted child, there should have been more articles or videos, but there were almost none.

It was as if the name had suddenly appeared from somewhere.

"Check the MIT side."

"What's the case?"

"An 8-year-old."

"Another gifted child article?"

"No, this seems a bit different."

Similar things were happening elsewhere.

The CNN education team, FOX morning broadcast team, ABC local desk, and an assistant science reporter for the New York Times were all opening the same article link.

Someone laughed, someone was suspicious, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and someone made a call immediately.

The MIT PR team's phones barely stopped even when it became afternoon.

"Yes, this is the MIT PR team."

"The current official statement is all that is posted on the homepage."

"Research content cannot be disclosed."

"There is no interview schedule yet."

"Please do not contact the family directly."

As soon as one staff member pressed the end call button, a new call came in.

"There's no end to this."

A staff member in the next seat said.

"The New York Times called, too."

"What?"

"CNN, too."

"Already?"

The team leader stood up from their seat.

"Report to the President's office again."

"This isn't going to end at the level of a local article."

People gathered in the President's office again, and the President was silent for a long time after hearing the PR team's report.

"How many inquiries are there?"

"As of now, there are 86 official emails and over 140 phone inquiries."

"If we include unofficial contacts, it's more."

"What about national media?"

"Confirmation requests have come from CNN, FOX, ABC, the New York Times, and the Washington Post."

Andrew muttered quietly.

"It's too fast."

Jonathan looked out the window.

"No, perhaps we were the ones who noticed too late."

The President looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"We thought we had time to quietly evaluate this child."

"But the moment he was seen once inside MIT, it was already too late."

The PR team leader asked.

"Then what should we do?"

The President tapped the desk with his finger, and soon said slowly.

"Let's set the scope of disclosure."

-Family protection

-Child's schedule undisclosed

-Research content undisclosed

-But acknowledge the fact of program participation

Jonathan nodded.

"That is the best option."

"And..."

The President closed the report.

"Inform Yoon Siwoo and his parents first."

"Don't let them find out through the articles first."

Although it was already a bit late, they had to protect them from now on.

The phone rang, and Taesik answered it.

"Hello."

A moment later, his expression changed.

"Yes... I understand."

"We will discuss it as well."

When he hung up, Hyejin asked.

"What did they say?"

"They said the media is contacting them a lot."

"MIT said they would keep our schedule private."

Hyejin's face stiffened.

"Could reporters come here?"

"They said there's a possibility."

Siwoo asked quietly.

"Why?"

Hyejin couldn't answer, and Taesik spoke instead.

"It seems people are curious about you."

"Why?"

Taesik chose his words for a moment and then laughed.

"Because you're a bit strange."

"Dad..."

"It's a good thing."

Taesik said in a low voice.

"People are going to watch you closely from now on."

Siwoo chewed on those words.

People watching him. It was different from looking at a blackboard, and it was different from looking at a problem.

It was a slightly uncomfortable feeling.

Hyejin sat next to Siwoo.

"If you don't want to, you don't have to."

"What?"

"Interviews or anything."

Taesik also nodded.

"We will block it."

Siwoo looked at his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠parents and said a little late.

"I just want to keep doing what I was doing."

Hyejin's expression softened a little.

"Then just do that."

That night

CNN education team conference room

The producer threw a printout of the Boston Globe article onto the table.

"Has this been verified?"

"MIT didn't deny the fact of his program participation."

"What about the Hodge Conjecture?"

"Refused to confirm."

"That's even more suspicious..."

"Should we send someone to Boston?"

The producer thought for a moment and then nodded.

"Send them. On the first flight tomorrow."

Another reporter asked.

"Will an interview be possible?"

The producer chuckled.

"If an interview isn't possible, dig around the surroundings."

"Just the fact that MIT moved because of an eight-year-old kid is enough for a story."

The conference room door closed, and the flight times to Boston were displayed on the screen.

At the same time, MIT President's office

"What is it now?"

"Interview requests have exceeded 300."

Andrew closed his eyes, and Jonathan let out a deep sigh.

The President was silent for a long time before looking out the window.

"We won't be able to hide it anymore."